It has been recognized for some time that the successful treatment of such cases as persistent serous otitis media, adhesive otitis media, and certain types of chronic suppurative otitis media required some means of permanently aerating the middle ear. As a consequence, a procedure was developed in accordance with which pressure-equalizing tubes were inserted through or beneath the tympanic membranes. Various pressure-equalizing tubes are available but, unfortunately, most of them are soon extruded.